Plunger-valve



(No Model.)

` J. G. HIMLER. PLUNGER VALVE.

Patented Jani.' '.7

1932195 @www NTTED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JOSEPH G. HIMLER, OF LATROBE, PENSYIN'ANIA.

PLUNGER-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,707, dated January*7, 1896.

` Application 5155 July 15,1895. serai No. 555,179. (No modem To a/ZZwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH G. I-IIMLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at La trobe, in t-he county of Westmoreland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Plunger-Valve, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to valves, and particularly to a device adapted foruse in connection with air-brake systems, the objects in view being toprovide means for exhausting the brake-cylinder with rapidity in orderto avoid loss of time in 'relieving the wheels of the train from thepressure of the brake-shoes, said means being so constructed as to allowthe free transmission of pressure from the train-pipe to the cylinder toactuate the piston and apply the brakes.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out `in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention applied in operativerelation with the members of a Huid-pressurebrake system, the valvebeing shown in the position which it assumes in order to allow thetransmission of pressure from the trainpipe to the brakeeylinder. Fig.2is asimilar view showing the parts in the positions which they assumewhen the brake-cylinder is eX- hausted.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a brake-cylinder, 2 the piston operating therein andprovided with a returnspring 3, and 4 represents a train-pipe, betweenWhich and the brake-cylinder is arranged the valve 5 embodying myinvention.

The valve-casing is in communication by means of a lateral port 6 withthe end of the brake-cylinder and is provided at its ends with removablecaps 7 and S, the former of which is provided with an opening from whichextends a conductor 9, communicating at the opposite end with `thebrake-cylinder upon the opposite side of the piston. Thus' communicationis established between the valveca-sing and the brake-cylinder upon bothsides of the plane of the piston. The coupling between the'train-pipeand the vale-casing en' ters the latter through an opening in the centerof the cap 8.

Arranged within the valve-casing is a-plunger-valve 10, having a closedupper end adapted to bear against a seat 11, formed at the upper end ofthe casing by means of a washer 12 secured between the upper end of thecasing and the cap 7. The seating of the valve at its upper endclosescommunication between the casing and the conductor 9, and thevalve, which is hollow or cylindrical in construction, is provided withlateral ports 13, which communicate with the lateral port 6 of thecasing when the valve is seated. Arranged within this main or plunger`valve is a check-valve 14 adapted to fit a seat 15 at the inner end ofa bushing 16, fitted in the lower end of the main valve. The checlcvalve is provided with a iiuted or channeled guide 17 and a stem 18 uponwhich is coiled anactuating-spring 19, whereby the checkvalve isnormally held seated. The bushing is provided at one side with a stud 2Oto engage a notch 21 in the end of the main valve and thereby limit theinsertion of the bushing, which is secured in place by means of a screwor eqiivalent fastening device. (Indicated at 22.

This being the construction of the improved valve mechanism theoperation thereof is as follows: To apply the brakes pressure isintroduced into the train-pipe, thereby forcing the main valve to itsseat at the end of the casing remote from the point of communicationwith the train-pipe to close communication between the casing and oneend of the brake-cylinder and open communication be,

tween the interior of the main valve and the lateral port in the casing.This pressure also unseats the check-valve, which is located within themain valve, and allows the pressure to be communicated directly throughthe bore of the main valve to the brake-cylinder to force the pistonforward `against the tension of the return-spring. When it is desired torelease the brakes the pressure in the trainpipe is reduced, therebyallowing the checkvalve to close and the main valve to return to itsnormal position, in which it is unseated, thereby opening communicationbetween the IOO casing of lthe valve and both ends of thebrake-cylinder, whereby the pressure at one side of the plane of thepiston is communicated directly to the other side of the plane thereof,thus equalizing the pressure upon both sides of the piston and allowingthe spring to return the piston to its normal position without delay.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings the main-valve casing isarranged in a vertical position, whereby the main or plunger valve lisactuated by gravity and is returned to its normal or unseated positionby that force; but it is obvious that other means 'for normallymaintaining` the main valve unseated may be employed, said means beingyielding in order to provide for the seating of the main valve whenexposed to the trainpipe pressure.

By the means above described the parts of the brake mechanism areadapted to operate effectively with an air-tight brake-cylinder, thusavoiding' the loss of pressure due to leakage, which frequently occursin the ordinary practice.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, andthe minor details of construction may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of this invention.

IIaving described my invention, what I claim is- I. In a fluid pressurebrake system, the combinatiom with a brake-cylinder, of means forconnecting opposite ends of the cylinder, whereby pressure upon oppositesides of the piston is equalized when communication is open, andvalve-mechanism for controlling communication between the ends of thecylinder, said valve-mechanism being normally in position to opencommunication and being exposed to train-pipe pressure whereby when thepressure in the train pipe is increased communication between the endsof the cylinder is cut-off, and communication between the train-pipe andone end of the cylinder is opened, substantially as specified.

2. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with abrake-cylinder, of a valve casing in communication with thebrake-cylinder upon both sides of the plane of the piston operatingtherein,said casing being adapted to receive train-pipe pressure, avalve adapted when seated to cut-off communication between the two endsof the cylinder and between the casing and one end of the brakecylinderand normally held unseated to provide communication with both endsthereof, said valve being adapted to be seated by trainpipe pressure,substantially as specilied.

3. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with abrake-cylinder, of valve mechanism having a casing in communication withthe brake-cylinder upon both sides ofthe plane of its piston and adaptedto receive train-pipe pressure, and a valve operating in the casing andadapted when seated to cut oft communication between the two ends of thecylinder and between the casing and one end of the brake-cylinder andopen communication between the casing and the other end of the cylinder,said valve being actuated by train-pipe pressure and being adapted to beunseated when the train-pipe pressure is reduced, substantially asspeciiied.

4. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a brakecylinder, of a valve mechanism having a casing in communication withboth ends of the brake cylinder and adapted to receivetrain-pipepressure, a main valve mounted to slide in the casing andadapted when seated to close communication between the casing and oneend of the brakecylinder, said valve being exposed at one end totrain-pipe pressure and having,1 a bore adapted when the valve is seatedto communicate with the other end of the brake-cylinder, and acheck-valve carried by the main valve to close the bore thereof andadapted to be opened by train-pipe pressure when the main valve isseated, the main valve being normally held unseated, substantially asspecified.

5. In a i'luid pressure brake system, the combination with abrake-cylinder, of a valve casing in communication at one end withopposite ends of the brake-cylinder and provided at one -end with avalve seat surrounding a port in communication with one end of thebrake-cylinder, a hollowmain valve mounted to slide in the casing, andhavinga closed end adapted to fit said seat in the casing and lateralopenings adapted to communicate with a port in communication with theother end of the brake-cylinder, the end of the main valve opposite tosaid closed end being exposed to train-pipe pressure, and a check-valvearranged to control the passage through the bore of the main valve andadapted to be opened by train-pipe pressure when the main valve isseated, substantially as specified.

6. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with abrake-cylinder, of a valve mechanism having its casing in communicationwith the opposite ends of the brake-cylinder, a gravity main valve`arranged in the casing and adapted when seated to cut-oit communicationbetween the two ends of the casing and between the casing and one end ofthe brake-cylinder, said valve having a bore adapted to communicate withthe other end of the brake-cylinder when the valve is seated, said mainvalve being exposed to train-pipe pressure and being normally heldunseated, and a cheek-valve controlling the passage through the mainvalve and adapted to be opened by train-pipe pressure, substantially asspecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH G. IIIMLER.

Titnesses CHARLES M. WILLIAMs, HENRY BAIE.

IOC

IIO

